Nardella received the award for the character he consistently demonstrated both on and off the field during the 2025 season. But for him, it represents far more than just recognition.
“It’s super humbling to get it,” Nardella said. “I think what it means to me is that I am serving as a living example, and practicing what I preach with every single kid that I work with, not only in Massachusetts but nationwide.”
The 32-year-old founded the Faceoff Factory in 2015, a developmental training camp for youth lacrosse players dedicated to Nardella’s specialty: the faceoff. Through the Faceoff Factory, Nardella connects with young players, giving them opportunities to train and compete with professionals while learning from their mindset and experience.
“Lacrosse offers such a unique aspect of this, where kids can actually work with pros and people they look up to and aspire to become,” Nardella said. “I think it’s pretty unmatched in any other sport. I played hockey growing up, and I don’t think I was coached by anybody who played the NHL actively, which is pretty cool for these kids.”
The Faceoff Factory was founded in Massachusetts, and over time, as it has added more coaches, it has expanded to hosting clinics nationwide, from Baltimore to Colorado Springs and Las Vegas.
Nardella’s students learn from a two-time PLL Champion who has battled through two ACL tears and became the fastest player to reach 1,500 faceoffs in professional lacrosse history. Every game, he battles 20 to 30 times with some of the best specialists in the league, and he has yet to record a season facing off under 50%, with his lowest season average (52.6%) coming in 2017.
“The league has gotten to a point where every single faceoff guy is good on any given day,” Nardella said. “So going into the games, watching film on these guys, like, you have to have a level of respect and appreciation for everything that they do, otherwise you’re going to be unprepared and you’re not going to be successful.”
The faceoff is a grueling battle, as much mental as physical, but on gameday, Nardella knows that regardless of his respect for other specialists, his goal remains to give the Whipsnakes control of possession.
“It is a balance, because you’re cordial and cool with some guys, and nobody really has personal beefs, or at least I don’t,” Nardella said. “So it’s like, when the whistle blows, you do have to flip the switch, kind of, and be like, ‘I’m doing anything I can to win this game.’”
That balance is why Nardella is a key figure not only in growing the faceoff specialist position, but also in shaping the next generation of respectful athletes, on and off the field.
“The life lessons the game can teach you are amazing,” Nardella said. “It’s incredible what these kids can learn between the lines and how it applies to everything outside the lines. …
“I also think faceoffs in my area of coaching is such a unique spot to teach these guys from, because we’re really teaching them that if they fail just less than half the time, they’re successful. It’s a great tool to teach them how to bounce back from failure and turn things around when they’re not going their way. And it’s like a constant reminder of that. It’s always about how you respond.”
Nardella recalled his first memory of sportsmanship while accepting the award, remembering a loss to Jamesville Elementary School, a team he “really hated,” where he refused to shake hands out of frustration.
“My coach was my dad, and he gave me an earful doing that,” Nardella said.
Though Andy Nardella did not have a background in lacrosse, he taught his son valuable lessons about competition.
“My dad didn’t really know lacrosse,” Joe Nardella said. “He didn’t play much growing up. He was a wrestler, but he just loved the competitive aspect of it. He played basketball, so he obviously, like, kind of held more on the defensive side of the ball when we were growing up, pressure defense, staying on guys’ hands and winning ground ball battles.”
As Joe grew, Andy became more invested in lacrosse and remains his biggest supporter, on and off the field, helping shape Nardella into the player and person he is today.
“Obviously, we’ve had a very close relationship throughout my entire lacrosse journey,” Joe Nardella said. “You know, he’s kind of a faceoff junkie now; he knows all of the stats, who we’re playing against, and always has a scouting report for me. So it’s pretty cool that we’ve been able to share that.”
Today, the lessons Nardella learned in third grade about sportsmanship and respect still guide him whenever he suits up in his No. 91 Whipsnakes jersey.
“There are so many things out of our control in the game of lacrosse, and the things that are in your control are how you prepare, how you compete, and never giving up,” Nardella said. “That’s something I want to impart on everybody. Win or lose, if you can still handle yourself with character and class, that goes a long way.”
